Hurricanes News

HURRICANES FALL TO MAPLE LEAFS 3-2 IN ROOKIE TOURNAMENT OPENER

KITCHENER, Ont. (September 1, 2000) – Sandy Cohen and Brent Kelly each notched goals for the Carolina Hurricanes, but the host Toronto Maple Leafs scored three unanswered goals to take the opening game of the Maple Leafs Rookie Tournament 3-2 at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium Friday night.

After controlling the action throughout the first period, the Hurricanes opened the scoring at 15:19 of the first period when Cohen beat Maple Leafs goaltender Sebastien Centomo with assists from Kevin Young and Andrew Merrick. Cohen, who scored 25 points (14g, 11a) in 36 games for Merrimack College last season, is participating in the Hurricanes Rookie Camp as a free agent tryout. Merrick, a product of the University of Michigan hockey program, was drafted by the Hurricanes with their sixth pick in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft. Young, who played for Spokane of the Western Hockey League (WHL) last season, is also trying out as a free agent.

The Hurricanes struck again early in the second period when defenseman Derek Fox found Kitchener native Brent Kelly charging toward the net and Kelly beat Centomo short side to give Carolina a 2-0 lead at 4:05 of the second period. Kelly and Fox are each using the camp as a free agent tryout. Kelly scored 65 points (23g, 42a) for Guelph of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) last season. Fox was a teammate of Hurricanes prospect Josef Vasicek with Sault Ste. Marie of the OHL.

The Maple Leafs answered with three straight goals, first finding the net at 11:59 of the second period when Ben Ondrus beat Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Brind’Amour to bring Toronto within one. The Leafs tied it up in the early moments of the third period when Brad Boyes found the net on a Leafs breakout. Miguel Delisle notched the winning goal for Toronto, beating Brind’Amour on a wraparound goal at 10:26 of the final period. Brind’Amour played with Montreal of the Quebec Junior Major Hockey League (QJMHL) last season, collecting a record of 23-25-5 with a 4.10 goals against average. He is also a free agent, trying out during the Rookie Camp.

The game marked the North American debut of Swedish defenseman Niclas Wallin. Wallin, the Hurricanes’ fourth-round pick in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft, wore the No. 7 sweater for Carolina, and was on the ice for Kelly’s goal.

Hurricanes forward Brad Defauw, a second-round draft pick in 1997, was forced to leave the game during the second period with a concussion. Defauw tallied 22 points (13g, 9a) in helping the North Dakota Fighting Sioux capture the NCAA Championship last season.